Con Spirito Music

12/24/2024

"Meditation on 'Veni, Emmanuel'" by Todd Marchand / Con Spirito Music, performed for Advent Sunday 4 (Dec. 22, 2024) in the Church of St. Mary, Hamm-Wiescherhöfen, Germany. Ulrich Dieckmann, trombone; Sebastian Kaldewey, organ. Read on for some fascinating facts about the role of trombone performance in German churches:

"The Trombone Service in the Evangelical Church of Westphalia is the association of trombone choirs from Protestant parishes in Westphalia. At present, around 260 trombone choirs with about 5,000 wind players are organized here.
"With its tasks, the Trombone Society is in the service of the church's proclamation in the world and the pastoral care of its wind players. In concrete terms, this means that we meet regularly to rehearse and make music to the joy of God and people — in church services, serenades, concerts, and many other occasions. In this way, we actively shape the life of the parishes.

"Trombone choirs have a long history and are part of the intangible cultural heritage in Germany. The Posaunenwerk Westfalen (Trombone Society of Westphalia) is also a member of the Evangelical Trombone Service in Germany e.V."

Ulrich Dieckmann is the State Trombone Warden who oversees the Society's work in 17 church districts: Arnsberg-Soest, Bielefeld, Gütersloh, Hagen, Halle, Hamm, Herford, Iserlohn, Lübbecke, Lüdenscheid-Plettenberg, Minden, Paderborn, Schwelm, Siegen, Unna, Vlotho, and Wittgenstein.

Mitschnitt aus der Messfeier zum 4. Advent 2024, 18 Uhr in der Kirche St. Marien, Hamm-Wiescherhöfen

12/24/2024

Nativity carol, "Quelle est cette odeur agréable?" (What is This Lovely Fragrance?"), arr. Todd Marchand, from service of lessons and carols at Santa Monica (California) UMC, December 22, 2024. Beautifully performed.

12/02/2024

I received a really nice email from the music directors/cantors of the Church of St. Lawrence in Lohja, Finland, letting me know that they performed two of my brass quintet arrangements — "Veni, Emmanuel" and "Blest Mary Walks Amid the Thorn" — for the opening and closing processionals at their mass for Advent Sunday I (Dec. 1, 2024).

Built between 1470 and 1490, St. Lawrence is the third largest medieval parish church in Finland. Its murals from the early 16th century, created to depict biblical stories for the illiterate population, make it one of the most valuable medieval buildings in Finland.

The entire service, which was recorded by YLE, the Finnish national public broadcasting company, is beautiful. Here's a link:

Liturgi Paula Miettinen. Saarnaaja Horst Gripentrog. Kanttorit Harri Kerko ja Atte Tenkanen. Urkuri Sanna Kuoppala. Collegium Musicum Lohja ja Collegium Musicum vasket.

10/31/2024

Demo of new anthem for Christmas: "Verbum Patris Hodie"

1. Verbum Patris hodie processit de Virgine:
virtutes angelice cm canore jubilo. Benedicamus Domino.
2. Pacem bonis omnibus Nuntiavit angelus:
refulsit pastoribus veri solis claritas. Deo dicamus gratias.

1. The Word of the Father this day comes forth from a Virgin:
the angelic powers sing with joy. Let us bless the Lord!
2. The angel announced peace to all good men:
light as of the sun shone on the shepherds. Thanks be to God!

©Copyright 2024 Todd Marchand / Con Spirito Music (ASCAP). All rights reserved. This video is a demo of the sheet music published by Con Spirito Music. Find links to purchase at https://www.conspiritomusic.com/verbum-patris-hodie/)

Voices realized by Cantamus (https://cantamus.app/); organ realized by NotePerformer

10/21/2024

New anthem for Advent. Easy SAB and organ with lots of unison. Verses 1-4 based on hymn tune CHESHIRE, verse 5 newly composed. (Demo voices by Cantamus, organ by NotePerformer.)

The advent of our God
With eager prayers we greet,
And singing, haste upon the road
His coming reign to meet.

The everlasting Son
Came down to make us free;
And he a servant's form put on
To gain our liberty.

O Sion's daughter, rise
To meet your lowly king;
Let not your faithless heart despise
The peace he comes to bring.

As judge on clouds of light,
He soon will come again,
His scattered people to unite,
With them in heav'n to reign.

Praise to th'incarnate Son
Who comes to set us free,
With Father, Spirit, ever one,
To all eternity.

10/10/2024

New music for SAB voices and organ: "King of Glory, King of Peace"

Ideal for Christ the King Sunday (the last Sunday after Pentecost, preceding Advent I), this medium-easy anthem with beloved text by Welsh-born Anglican priest and poet George Herbert (1593-1633) is also fitting as a hymn of praise at any time.

©Copyright 2024 Todd Marchand / Con Spirito Music (ASCAP). All rights reserved. This video is a demo of the sheet music published by Con Spirito Music. Find links to purchase at https://conspiritomusic.com/king-of-glory-king-of-peace/

Voices realized by Cantamus (https://cantamus.app/)

08/25/2024

New music for SATB voices, unaccompanied: "Jesus Christ the Apple Tree"

Primitive yet profound, "Jesus Christ the Apple Tree" is a poem by clergyman Richard Hutchins published in the August 1761 issue of "The Spiritualist Magazine," a London periodical for Calvinist Baptists. The poem may be an allusion to the apple tree in Song of Solomon 2:3 ("As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste"), which has been interpreted as a metaphor for Jesus. It also alludes to other descriptions of "the tree of life" in both the Old and New Testaments.

"Jesus Christ the Apple Tree" has been set to music by many composers, including a very popular setting by Elizabeth Poston (1905-1987). This new setting for unaccompanied SATB voices captures the rustic quality of the text with a rising-and-falling folksong-like melody, attractively harmonized.

©Copyright 2024 Todd Marchand / Con Spirito Music (ASCAP). All rights reserved. This video is a demo of the sheet music published by Con Spirito Music. Find links to purchase at https://www.conspiritomusic.com/jesus-christ-the-apple-tree/

Voices realized by Cantamus (https://cantamus.app/)

08/21/2024

New music for SATB voices, organ: "Sing, O Sing, This Blessed Morn"

"Sing, O Sing, This Blessed Morn" is a hymn commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ. Written by Anglican bishop, scholar, author, and poet Christopher Wordsworth (1807-1885), it was published in his collection, "The Holy Year; or Hymns for Sundays and Holy-Days, and Other Occasions" (1862).

Rather than a mere retelling of the Nativity story, the hymn is also a statement of beliefs about the nature and work of Christ, echoing elements of the Nicene Creed in phrases such as:

"God from God, and Light from Light"
"God himself comes down from heav'n"
"One with us in human birth"
"God with us ... deigns forever now to dwell"
"born for us that we born again in him may be"
"with thy Spirit may [we] be ... with the Father and with thee"

This joyful, medium-easy anthem is mostly unison, with SATB on the first half of stanzas 3 and 5 and on the concluding "alleluias."

Voices realized by Cantamus (https://cantamus.app/); organ realized by NotePerformer (https://www.noteperformer.com)

Find links to purchase at https://conspiritomusic.com/sing-o-sing-this-blessed-morn/

08/15/2024

New music for SATB voices, organ: "The Christ Child's Lullaby"

“The Christ Child's Lullaby” is an English translation of the Scots Gaelic “Tàladh Chrìosda,” a Christmas carol adapted and popularized in the 20th century from a longer work written in 1855 by Catholic priest Ranald Rankin for his parishioners at Fort William in the Scottish Highlands.

A medium-easy arrangement of this gentle rocking-carol with traditional Hebridean folk-tune, “The Christ Child’s Lullaby” features solo soprano on verse 1, sopranos-altos in open harmonies on verse 2, and full SATB in rich harmonies on verse 3 and the concluding “Alleluias.”

Voices realized by Cantamus (https://cantamus.app/); organ realized by NotePerformer (https://www.noteperformer.com)

Find links to purchase at https://conspiritomusic.com/the-christ-childs-lullaby/

07/24/2024

New music for SATB voices, organ: "I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say"

A subjective or "inward-looking" hymn, Horatius Bonar's (1808-1889) "I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say" contains three verses, with each referencing a statement made by Jesus, followed by a personal response. Verse 1 alludes to Matthew 11:2830 ("Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest"), with the personal response "I came to Jesus as I was." Verse 2 alludes to John 4:1014, where Jesus offers living water to the woman at the well, with the response "I came to Jesus and I drank." Verse 3 alludes to John 8:12 ("I am the light of the world"), with the response "I looked to Jesus and I found in Him my Star, my Sun."

In this arrangement for SATB voices and organ, Bonar's text is set to the THIRD MODE MELODY (or THE THIRD TUNE), one of nine "Tunes for Archbishop Parker's Psalter" (1567) written by the English composer Thomas Tallis (1505-1585). In each verse, the saying of Jesus is sung in unison (v. 1, solo or unison women; v. 2, unison men; v. 3, mostly unison by all voices), and the personal response is fully harmonized.

Find links to purchase at https://conspiritomusic.com/i-heard-the-voice-of-jesus-say/

06/21/2024

New music (demo): “Holy Spirit, Ever Dwelling” (SATB/SAB, keyboard)

“Holy Spirit, Ever Dwelling” are the opening words to a text written by the Welsh Anglican bishop Timothy Rees (1874-1939). Throughout, Rees employs the adverb “ever” to point to both the immanence and transcendence of the Holy Spirit in its timeless and perpetual activities:

Holy Spirit, ever dwelling in the holiest realms of light,
Holy Spirit, ever brooding o'er a world of gloom and night,
Holy Spirit, ever raising those of earth to thrones on high,
living, life-imparting Spirit, you we praise and magnify.

Holy Spirit, ever living as the Church's very life,
Holy Spirit, ever striving through us in a ceaseless strife,
Holy Spirit, ever forming in the Church the mind of Christ,
you we praise with endless worship for your gracious gifts unpriced.

Holy Spirit, ever working through the Church's ministry,
teaching, strength'ning, and absolving, setting captive sinners free,
Holy Spirit, ever binding age to age and soul to soul
in communion never ending, you we worship and extol.

Mostly unison, with limited SATB (SAB) voicing in verses 2 and 3, “Holy Spirit, Ever Dwelling” is quick to rehearse, easy to sing, and a meaningful declaration of praise to the third Person of the Holy Trinity.

©Copyright 2024 Todd Marchand / Con Spirito Music (ASCAP). All rights reserved. Find links to purchase at https://conspiritomusic.com/holy-spirit-ever-dwelling/

06/03/2024

New music (demo): “O God of Love, Give Peace Again” (SATB/SAB, keyboard)

Because war is a constant in the world, Henry W. Baker's 1861 text, which he titled “The Lord Shall Give His People the Blessing of Peace,” is always relevant.

O God of love, O King of peace,
make wars throughout the world to cease;
the wrath of nations now restrain,
give peace, O God, give peace again!

Remember, Lord, thy works of old,
the wonders that thy people told;
remember not our sin's dark stain,
give peace, O God, give peace again!

Whom shall we trust but thee, O Lord?
Where rest but on thy faithful word?
None ever called on thee in vain,
give peace, O God, give peace again!

Where saints and angels dwell above,
all hearts are bound in holy love;
O bind us in that heav'nly chain:
give peace, O God, give peace again.

In this setting of Baker’s text, stanza 1 is sung by unison voices, stanza 2 by unison women, stanza 3 by unison men, and stanza 4 (omitted in some hymnals) in parts following a recapitulation of the introduction and a modulation to the relative major key.

©Copyright 2024 Todd Marchand / Con Spirito Music (ASCAP). All rights reserved. Find links to purchase at https://conspiritomusic.com/o-god-of-love-give-peace-again/

05/17/2024

New music (demo): "Let All the World in Ev'ry Corner Sing"

A joyful anthem for SATB voices and organ, especially fitting for Christ the King Sunday but appropriate at any time, "Let All the World in Ev'ry Corner Sing" is a setting of George Herbert's "Antiphon (I)" from his 1633 collection of sacred poems, "The Temple."

©Copyright 2024 Todd Marchand / Con Spirito Music (ASCAP). All rights reserved. Find link to purchase at https://conspiritomusic.com/let-all-the-world-in-evry-corner-sing/

04/27/2024

New music (demo) for organ, brass quintet, timpani: hymn accompaniment to "O Worship the King"

Ideal for ordinations, convocations, and other celebratory occasions, "O Worship the King" is Robert Grant's (1779-1838) free paraphrase of Psalm 104, set to the majestic hymn tune HANOVER by William Croft (1678-1727). This arrangement features an introduction that contrasts short melodic fragments with answering flourishes, organ accompaniment in verses 1-2, brass accompaniment in verse 3, organ with trumpet countermelody in verse 4, a short interlude, organ and brass with alternate harmonization in verse 5, and a short coda.

Includes full score, parts for organ, Bb trumpets 1-2, F horn, trombone, tuba, timpani, and reproducible bulletin insert for voices.

©Copyright 2024 Todd Marchand / Con Spirito Music (ASCAP). All rights reserved. Find link to purchase at https://conspiritomusic.com/o-worship-the-king/

04/14/2024

My arrangement for trombone quartet of "Down by the Salley Gardens," beautifully played by Dr. Skip Dolt.

I hope you enjoy this beautiful arrangement of "Down By The Salley Gardens" by Todd Marchand. This arrangement is available on his web site at www.conspirito...

04/01/2024

Discovered this on Youtube this morning — my arrangement of "Were You There?" for soloist, SAB choir, and organ. What's unique is that the performance is entirely by one person. Thomas Dawkins is a bass-baritone soloist and multi-instrumentalist whose performance includes 14 tracks: organ, soloist, and four to each voice part. Really well done.

The spiritual "Were You There?" is a staple of Holy Week in American churches and it is one of the few spirituals that has ever been sung at King's College w...

02/19/2024

Music for Good Friday (demo): "Have Have Ye No Regard?" ("His Saviour's Words, Going to the Cross") by the Anglican cleric and poet Robert Herrick (1591-1674). For solo baritone, SATB, and organ.

Solo
Have, have ye no regard, all ye
Who pass this way, to pity Me,
Who am a man of misery?
A man both bruis'd and broke, and one
Who suffers not here for Mine own,
But for My friends' transgression!

Chorus
Ah, Sion's daughters, do not fear
The Cross, the Cords, the Nails, the Spear,
The Myrrh, the Gall, the Vinegar,
For Christ, your loving Saviour, hath
Drunk up the wine of God's fierce wrath;
Only there's left a little froth,

Solo
Less for to taste than for to show
What bitter cups had been your due,

Chorus
Had he not drank them up for you.

©Copyright 2024 Todd Marchand / Con Spirito Music. All rights reserved. Find links to purchase at https://conspiritomusic.com/have-ye-no-regard-baritone-satb-organ/

01/30/2024

Wrote this a few years ago for a friend's church ensemble; recently spruced up the score and parts.

An ideal prelude to Easter Sunday worship, this overture/hymn medley incorporates five memorable, joyful Easter hymns: “The Day of Resurrection” ELLACOMBE), “Come, Ye Faithful, Raise the Strain” (ST. KEVIN), “He is Risen, He is Risen” (UNSER HERRSCHER), “This Joyful Eastertide” (VRUECHTEN), and “Christ the Lord is Risen Today” (EASTER HYMN).

Find links to purchase at https://conspiritomusic.com/the-day-of-resurrection-overture-orchestra/